Saturday 25 / April / 2026
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman will join countries worldwide tomorrow in celebrating World Intellectual Property Day (WIPO), observed annually on April 26, highlighting the importance of intellectual property rights across fields such as trademarks, patents, industrial designs, copyright, and geographical indications.
To mark the occasion, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion will organise a celebration on Monday, showcasing national achievements and ongoing efforts to support innovation, protect creative outputs—particularly in sports—and promote economic and cultural development.
This year’s theme, “Intellectual Property and Sports: Get Ready, Launch, Innovate,” underscores the growing role of intellectual property in safeguarding sports-related innovations and enhancing investment opportunities in the sector.
Ghalib bin Said Al Mamari, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Commerce and Industry, emphasised that intellectual property has become a key driver in the development of modern sports.
He noted that protecting innovation represents an investment in creativity, the economy, and society at large, adding that every technological advancement, brand, or creative content in sports deserves preservation and support.
He also highlighted Oman’s progress in innovation performance, noting that the country advanced to 69th place globally in the Global Innovation Index in 2025 and improved to 55th in innovation inputs, reflecting the effectiveness of national strategies in building a comprehensive innovation ecosystem.
Among the notable achievements, Oman adopted the National Intellectual Property Plan in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization, and successfully secured international recognition for Omani frankincense as a geographical indication, becoming the first Gulf country to achieve this milestone—an important step in protecting national products and supporting a knowledge-based economy.
For her part, Nasra bint Sultan Al Habsi, Director General of Trade, stressed the importance of fostering a national environment that supports sports creativity through awareness and empowerment.
She noted that intellectual property protection plays a vital role in enhancing market integrity, attracting quality investments, and encouraging innovation in areas intersecting with technology, design, and sports.
Engineer Khalid bin Hamoud Al Hinai, Director of the National Intellectual Property Office, revealed that 879 patent applications were filed in 2025, reflecting growing awareness of protecting research and innovation outputs.
He also pointed to the issuance of a technical guide for drafting patent applications, aimed at supporting inventors and improving the quality of submissions.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) noted that modern sports have evolved into an integrated system combining technology, media, and design.
It highlighted the importance of patents in protecting performance-enhancing technologies, trademarks in preserving brand identity, copyright in safeguarding media content, and industrial designs in shaping sports equipment.
The celebration reflects Oman’s commitment to strengthening its intellectual property framework, encouraging innovation, and building a sustainable, knowledge-driven economy aligned with future development goals.
